David Weaks

The epistle of James is unique in many ways.  It teaches Christians how to live their lives as faithful men and women.  James presents his case to people who were living through troublesome times.  He called them "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad"(1:1).  Immediately, he calls on his audience to "count it all joy when you fall into various trials,…" (1:2).  Surely, this is a tall order for anyone, but especially for Christians who were fighting for survival under the cruel and harsh rule of Rome, and also from the cruel and harsh retaliation from Jewish people who tormented those whom they considered "turn coats" from the Law of Moses.

Let us consider some particulars of the book.

First, who is the writer of James?

The writer identifies himself only as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ," (1:1).   Unfortunately, James gives us no more information about himself than this, so we must consider the possibility of several men who were named James as potential writers, including James the son of Zebedee, and James the son of Alphaeus.  However, a study of the New Testament reveals fairly certainly that the writer was James, the half-brother of Jesus, and the brother of Jude.

What was the date of the book's writing?

James died about 62 A.D., so the epistle was written sometime before this date.   Many believe the book was written toward the end of his life, possibly 60 A.D.  Others, however, place the writing of the epistle somewhat earlier, 45-50 A.D.

Who was the audience addressed by James?

James, himself, identifies his audience.  "James, a servant of God and of  the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings."  Obviously, James addressed Christians in this epistle, but they were Jewish Christians, hence the reference to the "twelve tribes."  The phrase "which are scattered abroad" means James was writing to Jewish Christians who were scattered throughout the world.

Further evidence that James addressed Jewish Christians in his letter is seen in that he addresses his audience as "My Brethren" (1:2; 5, 9, 19; 2:1, et al).

What kind of letter is James?

James is a "general epistle."  The general epistles were not addressed to churches or specific individuals.  The other general epistles in the New Testament are:  1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.  Other letters, such as Paul's "pastoral epistles" were addressed to specific churches with whom he had a close relationship, and to various men like Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, with whom he labored in his lifetime.  Paul's letters also offered divinely inspired solutions to various problems which plagued brethren in the first century.  By contrast, James simply address-ed the matter of Christian living and faith, and the one main problem he addressed was how does one endure the persecution which comes to the faithful?

The book of practical Christian living.

The  book of James is a guide to "pure, undefiled religion" (see: 1:27).         The theme of the book is clearly FAITH IN ACTION.  James said:  "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (1:22), and "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead." (2:17).  He emphasized the necessity of exercising one's faith in the various avenues of daily living.

James set the stage for his discussion of faith in action by addressing the problem of suffering that his readers would be and were enduring for the cause of Christ.  If ever there is a time when instruction in active faith is necessary, it is times of trial.  James tells his readers what it means to be a Christian and to suffer for the cause of Christ.

What about the so-called divide between Peter and Paul?

In the denominational world people hold a rather silly opinion about James.  Calvinists all but dismiss James' book because they believe he preached a "works-based" gospel.  They go so far as to say that Paul, Peter, and John, taught that salvation comes by faith but James taught that salvation comes by law-keeping.  They very much like to "camp" in Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul taught that salvation is by grace through faith, and not by works "lest any man should boast." They point out that Paul also wrote an entire letter to the Romans in which he labored to build his case that salvation is by faith and not works.  Calvinists go so far as to interpolate Romans 5:1 to say that a man is justified by "faith only." Of course, Paul never said that!  He never added the word "only" in Romans 5:1, but Calvinists seem not to mind inferring that he did.  Then, they rail at James for knocking down their house of cards when he said, that: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only" (2:24).  James finished his great chapter on faith with this:  "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (vs. 26).

Brethren, people who put James on the outs with Paul and the other apostles simply have no idea what they are talking about.  James did not preach a different gospel than the other writers of the New Testament.  He was not and is not "anathema" for teaching a perverted gospel.  James dealt with the matter of sin and righteousness more than he dealt with the plan of salvation.  He was telling his audience how to resist temptation without sin (1:13-15).  He wanted his audience to shape their character to mimic that of Jesus who was silent before Pilate like a lamb before its shearers (Isa. 53:7; Mt. 26:63).  James said a disciple should be "swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath" (1:19).

James continued in this manner from beginning to the end of his letter.  Nowhere did he contradict Paul or the other writers.  In fact, James emphasized from the beginning that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (1:17).  Surely, James meant salvation, the greatest gift of all came from God and His grace rather than from man's meritorious deeds.